Mis-Matched Color Profile when Network Rendering

[jessestormer]

I'm having an issue with just 1 of 5 render nodes - it isn't exporting linear color profile, while the rest of the nodes are.
I've re-installed everything (Octane, Graphics Driver, Cinema4D) & cross-checked that all versions are the same (Octane standalone and C4D Plugins)
I'm at a total loss as to why this is happening...

Rendering to Octane EXR 16 bit

Other info - I'm using Deadline Render to manage my renders on a Network

Thanks!

[elsksa]

Hi jessestormer,

Out of curiosity, how (based on what) was the conclusion made that the exported file was not scene-referred linear? Sharing more technical information would greatly help.

[jessestormer]

Thank you for the response!

It is a 1000 frame sequence, and the frames will flash back and forth between which ones are rendered with 2.2 gamma and which ones are 1.0 gamma. Any frames that flash to having been rendered with a 2.2 gamma are ALWAYS frames from the same computer. But the rest of the computers all render correctly. Fortunately, because I am rendering with deadline - I can simply click 're-submit all frames from X computer'

Typically I render in Linear and apply a 'color profile' effect in AE, and linearize the input.

I also export jpgs along with my EXR's (so I can quickly see a preview of what has rendered), and since the color shift is happening in the jpg as well - I know that it isn't just the EXR export or reading the EXR in AE.

Let me know if you have any thoughts on why this could be happening :/

jesse

[aoktar]

Have you tested one frame on slave with C4D+plugin without netrendering? You should check the scene for any errors!

[jessestormer]

I initially thought that it was only happening when I submitted via network render --- but it also happens when I render from standalone.

I now believe... that it is saving only an 8bit file instead of 16bit. (Just one machine is doing this) I didn't notice before that file sizes are dramatically different.

[elsksa]

Thank you for your updates. From the forum, we are rather on the blind side, though.

Does the log output any error/warning?
Is it possible to share some screenshots or two EXR still frames that contain the difference/issue?

Since the issue is reproducible, are you able to reproduce it using only Standalone's nodes (without custom or paid assets/files) so that it can be shared as an ORBX?

It is worth to mention that an EXR file can be as light weight as a JPG one. A deeper troubleshooting and more information will be necessary.

[jessestormer]

Thanks for the response -

For the record though -- zero errors on render, and the file size from (problematic machine) was 40MB vs (all other machines) ~100MB, -- but, primary issue was that it appeared substantially lighter. (like 2.2 gamma vs 1.0)

I versioned up my C4D, and now things are fine for that machine! (versioned up from using 22/23, now using 24... and soon 25?) [swapping over the entire render farm is quite the under-taking, and a chore that I do not look forward to)

Although I'm incredibly curious as to what the reason was (so I know for the future) I'm not going to bother with it any longer

I appreciate the additional brain power thinking this through, everyone.

[grantsalisbury]

just to help others out that have this problem. we have this problem but if we render with AOV and have save beauty checked we get a userpass that is the beauty that is gamma correct.

[elsksa]

An OpenEXR output should always be scene-referred linear (Linear-sRGB specifications). The JPG should be non-linear-sRGB (sRGB EOTF).